Learn About Attention

Overview

Trail: Learn About Attention
Trail: Learn About Attention
Landmarks	Use Sounds to be Present Acknowledge Negative Emotions Without Judgment Notice Multiple Sensations

What are Trails?

A Trail in the context of Everyday Enlightenment is a curated journey of self-discovery and personal growth. It is a structured way of traveling through concepts and practices and is designed to guide you towards mindfulness and deeper understanding. Using a Trail helps you systematically navigate and explore the vast landscape of meditative insights, providing you with achievable goals and practical techniques to integrate these insights into your everyday life.

What is Attention?

Attention Overview

Where will this Trail take you?

This trail is designed to take you to a place where you have a basic understanding of the Beacon of Attention, including the Lenses of Mindfulness, Non-Judgement and Presence, as well as the Credo of Experience the Now. Once you've completed this trail, it is recommended you read through the content on the Attention page.

Step 1 - TODO

Lookouts

TODO - select the two

• Lookout: Observation of Thoughts: As you go about your day, you'll begin to see how you can observe your own thoughts like a bystander, not a participant.
• Lookout: Mind Clutter: Throughout your journey, notice the clutter in your mind and the constant chatter of thoughts.
• Lookout: Emotion Observation: You'll become more aware of your emotions as entities separate from your core being, observing them come and go.
• Lookout: Impermanence of Thoughts and Emotions: Notice that your thoughts and emotions, regardless of their intensity at the moment, inevitably pass away.
• Lookout: Focusing on the Present: As you practice, discover how you can choose to focus solely on what is in front of you, instead of being carried away by thoughts.
• Lookout: Awakening from Daydreams: Observe how ambient sounds can serve as anchors, pulling you out of your daydreams and bringing you back to reality.

Skill: "Cup of Thoughts" - Thoughts can be observed

• Get up and start your morning routine, just like any other day.
• Head over to your kitchen and start brewing your coffee or tea.
• While it's brewing, try not to occupy yourself with anything. Resist the urge to check your phone.
• Once it's ready, pour it into your favorite mug and sit down in a quiet space.
• As you wrap your hands around the warm mug, close your eyes and take a deep breath.
• Open your eyes and gaze into the cup. What thoughts are already popping up? Don't engage, just notice.
• Each time a thought comes up, imagine it's like a bubble rising to the surface and popping.
• Keep doing this until you finish your cup, noting the transient nature of each thought.
• When you're done, clean your mug and reflect on the experience.
• Make this a part of your morning routine, it's like a gentle mental jog before the marathon of a day.

Skill: "Toothbrush Tune-Out" - Your mind is usually cluttered and distracted

Toothbrush Tune-Out

Skill: "Commuter's Calm" - Emotions can be observed

• Start your daily commute just like any other day.
• As you sit in your car, or on the bus or train, notice how you're feeling.
• If it's frustration at the traffic or annoyance at the crowds, let it bubble up.
• Instead of fighting it, recognize it. Say to yourself, "I'm feeling frustrated," or, "I'm feeling annoyed."
• Notice how this emotion feels in your body. Is your grip on the steering wheel tighter? Are your shoulders tense?
• As your journey continues, pay attention to how these feelings shift and change. Do they intensify? Do they fade? Does a new emotion replace the old one?
• Each time your mind drifts away from observing your emotions, gently bring it back.
• When you finally reach your destination, take a moment to sit still and take a few deep breaths.
• Use this usually stressful time to become more in tune with your emotions and their transient nature.

Skill: "Exercise Ebb and Flow" - Thoughts and emotions pass away

• Begin your workout routine as you typically would.
• As you move through the exercises, pay attention to your thoughts and emotions.
• Notice the thoughts that arise with the physical strain. Are you thinking, "I can't do this," or, "This is too hard"?
• Realize that these thoughts, like the strain of the exercise, are temporary.
• As you move from one exercise to another, pay attention to the fluctuations in your thoughts and emotions.
• Just as your body recovers from one exercise before moving to the next, so do your thoughts and emotions ebb and flow.
• By the end of your workout, you'll have a better understanding of the temporary nature of your thoughts and emotions.
• Clean up your space, have a stretch, and take a few moments to reflect on the experience.

Skill: "Mindful Munching" - You can focus on what is in front of you

• When it's time for your next meal, sit down at your table with your plate of food.
• Before you begin eating, take a moment to appreciate the sight and smell of your food.
• As you pick up your fork, bring your attention to the act of eating.
• Pay attention to each bite - the flavors, the texture, the sensation of chewing and swallowing.
• When your mind wanders, notice where it goes, then gently guide it back to your eating.
• Even if your mind wanders a hundred times, bring it back a hundred times.
• Practice this each time you eat. With time, you'll find it easier to keep your mind on the task at hand.
• Clean up after your meal, maintaining your focus on the present moment.

Skill: "Sound Soak" - Sounds can pull you out of a daydream

• You're outside, maybe walking your dog, or sitting in your backyard. It's a regular part of your day.
• As you're enjoying your surroundings, let your mind wander freely. Let it daydream.
• Amidst the daydreaming, bring your attention to the sounds around you.
• The distant sound of traffic, the rustling leaves, the birds singing - tune into these sounds.
• Each time a particular sound catches your attention, let it pull you out of your daydream, anchoring you back to reality.
• Acknowledge the thought or daydream that was interrupted by the sound, let it go, then return to listening.
• Continue this practice of allowing sounds to interrupt your daydreams, noting the shift in your attention.
• Reflect on how the sounds around you can serve as tools to bring you back to the present moment.
• Incorporate this practice into your regular outdoor time to cultivate the habit of using sounds as anchors to reality.

Checkpoints

• Checkpoint: Observation of Thoughts: Can you now see thoughts arise, exist, and pass away without getting entangled in them?
• Checkpoint: Mind Clutter: Are you more aware of the constant chatter in your mind, and can you let it be without getting swept up in it?
• Checkpoint: Emotion Observation: Can you identify emotions as they surface and observe them without being consumed by them?
• Checkpoint: Impermanence of Thoughts and Emotions: Do you recognize the transitory nature of your thoughts and emotions?
• Checkpoint: Focusing on the Present: Can you consciously direct your focus on the present moment, particularly when your mind starts to wander?
• Checkpoint: Awakening from Daydreams: Can you use ambient sounds as triggers to return from daydreams or distractions back to reality?

Destination

TODO